Drum type washing machine and method for controlling the same

ABSTRACT

A drum type washing machine has an access hole and a drum door for closing the access hole provided on the cylindrical sidewall of the drum. The enclosure of the washing machine includes an access opening that aligns with the assess hole of the drum. A motor of the washing machine is coupled to both the drum door and the drum itself. Thus, the motor can be used to rotate the drum and the door during washing operations. A clutch unit selectively couples and decouples the motor from the drum so that the drum door can be rotated with respect to the drum to open and close the access hole of the drum.

This application claims priority to the filing date of Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2006-0038373, filed on Apr. 27, 2006, the disclosureof which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present invention relates to a drum type washing machine, and morespecifically, to an access hole and a drum door of such a washingmachine, and methods of controlling the same.

2. Background

Washing machines are used to clean laundry using chemical actionsrelying on wash water and detergent. Washing machines can be categorizedbased on the method used to perform washing action. For example, washingmachines can be categorized into an agitator-type washing machine, aplusator-type washing machine and a drum-type washing machine. Anagitator-type washing machine includes a vertical agitator that isrotated back and forth to perform washing actions. A pulsator-typewashing machine includes a plate-shaped pulsator that is moved togenerate water currents to perform washing. A drum-type washing machineperforms washing by rotating a horizontally oriented cylindrical drumhaving plural lifters that project in towards the center of the drum. Asthe drum rotates, the lifters produce a friction force between the washwater and the laundry.

The rotation shafts of the drums in the agitator-type washing machineand the pulsator-type washing machine are oriented vertically. Also,these types of machines typically require less time to complete awashing cycle. However, the fabric of the laundry being washed may bedamaged in the agitator-type washing machines and the pulsator-typewashing machines. In contrast, the rotation shaft of a drum-type washingmachine is horizontally provided, and the drum type washing machinetends to damage to fabric less than the other types.

Drum-type washing machines can have a front loading system, where a doorcloses off one end of the cylindrical drum. In other types of drum-typewashing machines the ends of the cylindrical drum are closed off, but anaccess hole is formed on the circumferential surface of a cylindricaldrum. If an access hole is formed in the circumferential surface of thecylindrical drum, the access hole is opened and closed by a drum doorwhich is coupled to the cylindrical drum. There may also be a separatedoor on the housing of the washing machine at a position thatcorresponds to the drum door on the cylindrical drum.

To use the drum-type washing machine, a user opens the door on thewashing machine housing, and then the drum door, to load laundry intothe drum. The user then closes the drum door and locks the drum doorusing a latch. After he/she closes the door on the housing, the useractivates a washing cycle. Once washing is complete, the user opens thehousing door, releases the latch, and opens the drum door to unload thelaundry through the access hole.

In some instances, it may be inconvenient for the user to have to openand closes the drum door with his/her hands. In addition, when the usertries to open and close the drum door, it may be possible for the userto injure his/her hands.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments will be described in detail with reference to thefollowing drawings in which like reference numerals refer to likeelements, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a drum-type washingmachine according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a drum, a tub anda driving part provided in the drum-type washing machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating portions of the drum shownin FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are partial cross-sectional views illustrating the drivingpart of the washing machine shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating an alternate embodiment of aclutch unit of a washing machine as shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a method for controlling a drum-type washingmachine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to specific embodiments, examplesof which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whereverpossible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout thedrawings to refer to the same or like parts.

As shown in FIG. 1, a drum-type washing machine includes an enclosure 10having an access opening 11 provided, for example, at an upper frontportion thereof. A tub 20 is provided inside the enclosure 10 to storewater. A rotatable drum 100 is provided within the tub 20. An accesshole 110 and a drum door 200 are provided along a circumferentialsurface of the drum 100. Laundry may be loaded into the drum 100 throughthe access hole 110 and the drum door 200 may open and close the accesshole 110. Also, a plurality of through-holes may be formed on the drum100 and water may pass through the through-holes.

An opening is provided in the tub 20 to connect the access opening 11 ofthe enclosure 10 and the access hole 110 of the drum 100 to each other.As a result, a user can load or unload the laundry into or out of thedrum 100 through the access hole 110. The door 15 of the washing machineopens and closes both the access opening 11 of the enclosure 10 and theopening of the tub 20. Thus, when the door 15 is closed, the tub 20 isable to contain water. The drum door 200 opens and closes the accesshole 110 of the drum 100.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the drum-type washingmachine includes a motor 300 that operates the drum 100 and the drumdoor 200. The motor 300 includes a stator 310 and a rotor 320. As shownin FIG. 2, the stator 310 is secured to the tub 20 and the rotor 320covers the stator 310.

The rotor of the motor 300 is coupled to the drum door 200 to operatethe drum door 200. More specifically, a door shaft 210 is coupledbetween the rotor 320 and a predetermined portion of the drum door 200.As a result, when the rotor 320 rotates, the drum door 200 is rotatedwith the rotor.

The drum door 200 is movable with respect to the drum 100. The drum door200 moves along a direction that is substantially parallel to thecircumferential surface of the drum 100. Typically, the drum door 200 isprovided at an inner portion of the drum 100 and it slides along aninner circumference of the drum 100 to open and close the access hole110 of the drum 100. A middle portion of the drum door 200 has a shapecorresponding to the access hole 110. An end of the drum door 200extends down one end of the cylindrical drum and is secured to doorshaft 210, as shown in FIG. 4. Thus, when the rotor 320 is rotated, thedrum door 200 can be rotated by the door shaft 210 relative to the drum,to thereby cause the middle portion of the drum door 200 to slides alongthe circumferential direction of the drum 100 to open and close theaccess hole 110.

At least one first bar 120 projects toward the inside of the drum 100from an edge of the access hole 110 of the drum 100. At least one secondbar 130 projects toward an inside of the drum 100 from the otheropposite edge of the access hole 110. At least one first hook 220 isformed at an edge of the drum door 200, and the first bar 120 engageswith the first hook 220. At least one second hook 230 is formed at theother opposite edge of the drum door 200, and the second bar 130 engageswith the second hook 230. As shown in FIG. 3, the first hook 220 and thesecond hook 230 have curved shapes, respectively. When the access hole110 is closed, the first hook 220 and the second hook 230 are facing thefirst bar 120 and the second bar 130, respectively.

After rotating in a particular direction during a washing operation,even after the drum 100 stops, the first hook 220 may be engaged to thefirst bar 120. However, as shown in FIG. 3, the second hook 230 mayslightly separate from the second bar 130 after the drum 100 stops sothat the second bar 130 and the second hook 230 may be prevented frominterfering with an opening motion of the drum door 200. When the drumdoor covers the access hole 110, and the drum 100 is rotating, thesecond hook 230 is pushed against the second bar 130 by a centrifugalforce so that the door remains closed.

The drum door 200 may include a weight 250 attached to the second hook230, or to a predetermined portion adjacent to the second hook 230, sothat the second bar 130 will remain engaged with the second hook 230while the drum 100 is rotating. The weight 250 attached to the drum door200 pushes the drum door 200 toward an inner surface of the drum 100using a centrifugal force when the drum 100 is rotating. As a result,the drum door 200 is closely contacted with the drum 100 to prevent thelaundry inside the drum 100 from escaping through a gap.

While the drum door 200 is directly connected to the motor 300 and moveswith the rotor of the motor 300, the drum 100 is selectively connectedto the motor 300 by a clutch unit. The clutch unit 400 selectivelytransfers the rotational force of the motor 300 to the drum 100.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, a hollow drum shaft 150 is fixed to the drum100. An end of the drum shaft 150 is fixed to the drum 100 and theopposite end of the drum shaft 150 passes through the tub 20 to extendtoward the motor 300. The door shaft 210 and the drum shaft 150 arearranged in the same shaft direction and the door shaft 210 passesthrough the drum shaft 150. An oil-less bearing 215 is interposedbetween the door shaft 210 and the drum shaft 150. In addition, abearing 155 is interposed between the drum shaft 150 and the tub 20 torotatably support the drum 100 with respect to the tub 20.

The clutch unit 400 is provided between the drum shaft 150 and the motor300 to selectively transfer the rotational force of the motor 300 to thedrum shaft 150. The clutch unit 400 includes a clutch member 410 and anactuator 450. The clutch member 410 is movable along a longitudinaldirection of the door shaft 210 and the drum shaft 150. The actuator 450operates the clutch member 410.

The clutch member 410 includes a first serration 411 and a secondserration 412. As shown in FIG. 4, the first serration 411 and thesecond serration 412 are formed on inner circumferential surfaces ofcylindrical portions of the clutch member 410. The first serration 411is able to engage the rotor 320 of the motor 300 and the secondserration 412 is able to engage with the hollow drum shaft 150 attachedto the drum 100. The clutching member 410 is shaped such that an end ofthe drum shaft 150 can be received in a hollow cylindrical portion ofthe clutch member having the second serration 412.

As shown in FIG. 4, a fourth serration 330 on the rotor 320 engages withthe first serration 411 to rotationally couple the clutch member 410 tothe rotor 320. A fifth serration 151 on the hollow drum shaft 150engages with the second serration 412 to rotationally couple the clutchmember to the drum 100.

Furthermore, the clutch member 410 may include a third serration 413that is able to engage a sixth serration 25 on the tub 20. As shown inFIG. 5, the third serration 413 may be engaged to the sixth serration 25of the tub 20, when the first serration 411 is disengaged from thefourth serration 330 of the motor 300. At the same time, the secondserration 412 would engaged to the fifth serration 151 of the hollowdrum shaft 150 attached to the drum 100.

When the clutch member 410 moves toward the motor 300, as shown in FIG.4, the first serration 411 engages the fourth serration 330 of the rotor320, and the second serration 412 engages the fifth serration 151 on thehollow drum shaft 150. As a result, the rotational force of the rotor320 is transmitted to the drum 100, as well as to the drum door 200. Inthis configuration, the drum 100 will rotated together with the drumdoor 200 when the rotor turns.

When the clutch member 410 moves toward the drum 100, as shown in FIG.5, the first serration 411 disengages from the fourth serration 330,which decouples the rotor and the drum 100. At the same time, the secondserration 412 and the third serration 413 engage the fifth serration 151and the sixth serration 25, respectively. In this configuration, thedrum 100 will not rotate together with the rotor of the motor. Instead,when the rotor moves, only the drum door 200 is rotated by the rotor ofthe motor. Thus, moving the rotor will cause the door 200 to open andclose the access hole 110 of the drum 100. Note, the engagement betweenthe hollow drum shaft 150 and the clutch member 410, and the engagementbetween the clutch member 410 and the tub 20 prevent the drum fromrotating with respect to the tub 20.

In alternate embodiments, the sixth serration 25 that engages the thirdserration 413 on the clutch member 410 may be formed on some otherstationary portion of the washing machine, such as a bracket fixed tothe tub 20 or a portion of the enclosure 10. This would also prevent thetub from rotating when only the door 200 is to be moved.

The actuator 450 moves the clutch member 410 along the door shaft 210and the drum shaft 150. The actuator 450 may comprise various differentmechanisms, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, in the illustrated embodiment theactuator 450 may include a solenoid 451 and a magnetic member 452. Thesolenoid 451 may be attached to either the tub 20 or the clutch member410. The magnetic member 452 would be provided on the other of the tub20 and the clutch member 410. When electric current is applied to thesolenoid 451, the solenoid 451 would pull the magnetic member 452 andthus the clutch member 410 would move from the position shown in FIG. 4towards the tub 20 to the position shown in FIG. 5. If the direction ofthe polarity of the electric current applied to the solenoid 451 isreversed, the clutching member 410 could be moved in an oppositedirection so that it returns to the position shown in FIG. 4.

In some embodiments, a spring 430 is interposed between the rotor 320and the clutch member 410 to bias the clutch member 410 into a certainposition. The solenoid 451 would be used to overcome the force of thespring 430 and thereby move the clutch member to a new position. Then,when the power applied to the solenoid 451 is removed, the spring 430would move the clutch member 410 back to its original position, as shownin FIG. 4.

In an alternate embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the actuator 450includes a lever 453 connected to the clutch member 410, and the motor300 operates the lever 453. An end of the lever 453 would be directly orindirectly connected to the motor 300. A middle portion of the lever 453is connected to a hinge 454. The opposite end of the lever 453 isconnected to the clutch member 410.

When the motor 300 is operated in a first direction to pull the end ofthe lever 453, the lever 453 rotates about the hinge 453 in a firstdirection to move the clutch member 410 toward one of the motor 300 andthe drum 100. When the motor 300 is operated in a second direction topush the end of the lever 453, the lever 453 rotates about the hinge 454in a second direction and thus the clutch member 410 moves toward theother of the motor 300 and the drum 100. As a result, the clutch member410 is moved toward either the motor 300 or the drum 100 according tothe direction of the motor operation.

Referring back to FIG. 2, a first sensor 31 and a second sensor 32 maybe provided in the drum-type washing machine to monitor a rotationalposition of the drum within the tub. The first sensor 31 is attached tothe drum 100. The second sensor 32 is attached to a non-rotating portionof the washing machine, such as the tub 20. The first sensor 31 and thesecond sensor 32 may comprise a magnet and a hall sensor which interactto send a signal indicative of the rotational position of the drum. Inparticular, the sensors indicate when the access opening 11 of thehousing and the access hole 110 of the drum 100 are aligned.

Specifically, when the drum 100 is rotated slowly by the motor 300, andthe first sensor 31 is brought into alignment with and the second sensor32 so that they face each other, a signal would be generated to indicatethat the access opening 11 and the access hole 110 are aligned. Thesignal sent by the first sensor 31 and/or the second sensor 32 would betransmitted to a controller (not shown). The controller then determinesthat the access opening 11 and the access hole 110 are aligned. Hence,the controller (not shown) sends a control signal to operate the clutchunit 400.

In a washing machine as described above, the drum 100 as well as thedrum door 200 may be operated by one motor 300. A controller of thewashing machine would control the clutch unit 400 to connect the motor300 to both the drum 100 and the drum door 200, such that the motor 300rotates the drum 100 and the drum door 200. The controller would alsocontrol the clutch unit 400 to disconnect the drum 100 from the motor300, such that the drum door 200 can be rotated with respect to the drum100 to open and close the drum 100. The clutch unit would couple thedrum 100 to a fixed part, such as the tub 20, to efficiently prevent thedrum 100 from rotating together with the drum door 200 when the drumdoor 200 is rotated with respect to the drum 100

Although the embodiment described above has a drum that is selectivelycoupled to the rotor by the clutch unit, in alternate embodiments, thedrum door could be the element that is selectively coupled to the motor,while the drum itself is always coupled to the motor. In this alternateembodiment, to open and close the door the clutch would decouple thedrum door from the motor and then rotate the drum with respect to thedrum door to open and close the access hole. The clutch unit might alsoact to couple the drum door to a stationary part of the washing machineduring the door opening and closing actions.

A method of controlling a drum-type washing machine and a door of arotating drum of the washing machine will now be described withreference to FIG. 7. This method will refer to an embodiment asillustrated in the drawings, where the drum is selectively coupled tothe motor. However, the method could be slightly altered if an alternateembodiment of the washing machine were used where the motor isselectively coupled to the drum door instead.

During the operation, or when the washing machine is stopped, thecontroller (not shown) would detect whether there is a command foropening the drum 100 (S100) or a command for closing the drum 100(S200). If the controller (not shown) receives a command for opening thedrum 100, the controller (not shown) first identifies whether therotation speed of the drum 100 is below a predetermined value (S110).The rotation speed of the drum 100 may be determined by a speed sensor,or by monitoring signals output by the first and second sensors 31 and32. If it is identified that the rotation speed of the drum 100 issubstantially higher than the predetermined value, the controller (notshown) controls the motor 300 and the drum 100 to lessen the rotationalspeed below a predetermined value (S115). This is because it ispreferred to stop the drum 100 when the access hole 110 and the accessopening 11 are aligned, and doing so is easier to accomplish if therotational speed of the drum is slow.

If the drum 100 is stopped or the rotation speed of the drum 100 isbelow the predetermined value, the controller (not shown) identifieswhether the access hole 110 of the drum which is covered by the drumdoor 200 and the access opening 11 of the enclosure 10 are aligned(S120). Here, the controller (not shown) identifies whether the accesshole 110 and the access opening 11 are aligned by using the signalsoutput from the first sensor 31 and/or the second sensor 32. If it isdetermined that the access hole 110 and the access opening 11 are notaligned, the controller (not shown) repeatedly checks whether the accesshole 110 and the access opening 11 are aligned as the motor 300continues to rotate the drum 100 and the drum door 200 below thepredetermined speed. When the controller determines that the access hole110 and the access opening 11 are aligned, by signals of the firstand/or second sensors 31 and 32, the controller (not shown) controls thedrum 100 to stop rotating (S130).

When the drum 100 stops, the controller (not shown) operates theclutching unit 400 to disconnect the drum from the motor 300 (S140).Even though the motor 300 and the drum 100 are disconnected from eachother, the connection between the motor 300 and the drum door 200 ismaintained. As a result, if the motor 300 is rotated in this condition,the drum door 200 is rotated with respect to the drum 100.

As the motor 300 and the drum are being disconnected from each other,the controller (not shown) secures the drum 100 to a fixed part of thewashing machine, for example, the tub 20 or a bracket fixed to the tub20 (S150), so that the drum 100 may be prevented from being rotatedtogether with the drum door 200 by the operation or the vibration of themotor 300.

When the motor 300 is disconnected from the drum 100 and the drum 100 issecured to the tub 20, the motor 300 is operated by the controller (notshown). Hence, the drum door 200 is rotated with respect to the drum 100and the access hole 110 of the drum 100 is opened (S160). In someembodiments, the rotation of the motor 300 stops after the rotor rotatesthrough a predetermined angle to fully open the access hole 100. Inalternate embodiments, the motor 300 may simple rotate to open theaccess hole 110 until further rotation is impossible. In this case, aprotrusion or the like may be provided on the drum 100 to limit therotation of the drum door 200.

When the drum 100 is opened through the above process, the user may loador unload laundry into or out of the drum 100. When a command forclosing the drum 100 is transmitted by the user or a preset program(S200), the controller (not shown) rotates the rotor 320 of the motor300 to close the access hole 110 of the drum 100 with the drum door 200.As described above, this could involve rotating the rotor 320 and thedrum door 200 through a predetermined angle, or until the drum door 200stops moving and the first hook 220 engages the first bar 120 of thedrum 100.

When the drum door 200 closes the drum 100, the controller (not shown)controls the clutch unit 400 to connect the drum 100 to the motor 300(220). When a command for rotating the drum 100 is received (S230), forexample, preset washing programs are to be performed, the controller(not shown) operates the motor 300 and thus the drum 100 and the drumdoor 200 are rotated at the same time (S240).

In a washing machine as described above, both the drum and the drum doorthat opens and closes the drum are operated by one motor. Also, sincethe driving force of the motor is selectively transmitted to the drum bythe clutch unit, the motor may rotate both the drum and the drum door atthe same time or the motor may rotate only the drum door with respect tothe drum to open and close the access hole of the drum. As a result, thedrum door can be opened and closed automatically, which is convenient tothe user. Also, the user does not have to open and close the drum doordirectly and it enables the user to use the washing machine safely.

Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “anembodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particularfeature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with theembodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Theappearances of such phrases in various places in the specification arenot necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when aparticular feature, structure, or characteristic is described inconnection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within thepurview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, orcharacteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.

Although various embodiments have been described, it should beunderstood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can bedevised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit andscope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly,variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/orthe subject combination of arrangements while still falling within thescope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. Inaddition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/orarrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled inthe art.

1. A washing machine, comprising: an enclosure including an accessopening formed thereon; a tub mounted in the enclosure; a drum rotatablymounted inside the tub and including an access hole provided on acircumferential cylindrical surface of the drum; a drum door that movesto open and close the access hole; a motor mounted on the enclosure,wherein a rotor of the motor is rotationally fixed to one of the drumand the drum door; and a clutch unit that selectively rotationallycouples the rotor to the other of the drum and the drum door.
 2. Thewashing machine of claim 1, wherein the drum door moves relative to thedrum in a direction substantially parallel to the circumferentialcylindrical surface of the drum to open and close the access hole. 3.The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the drum door is positionedwithin the drum, and wherein the drum door is pushed against the innercylindrical surface of the drum by centrifugal force during rotation ofthe drum.
 4. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein when the clutchunit rotationally couples the rotor to the other of the drum and thedrum door the drum and the drum door rotate together with the rotor. 5.The washing machine of claim 4, wherein when the clutch unit decouplesthe rotor from the other of the drum and the drum door, rotation of therotor causes the drum door to move with respect to the drum to open andclose the access hole.
 6. The washing machine of claim 5, wherein whenthe clutch unit decouples the rotor from the other of the drum and thedrum door, the clutch unit also couples the other of the drum and thedrum door to a fixed part of the washing machine.
 7. The washing machineof claim 6, wherein the fixed part comprises the tub.
 8. The washingmachine of claim 1, further comprising: a first sensor part mounted onthe drum; and a second sensor part mounted on a fixed part of thewashing machine such that the first sensor will pass by the secondsensor as the drum rotates, and wherein at least one of the first andsecond sensor parts generate a signal when the first and second sensorparts are adjacent one another.
 9. The washing machine of claim 1,further comprising: a hollow drum shaft having a first end that iscoupled to the drum and a second end that passes through and extendsfrom the tub; and a door shaft that is rotationally coupled to therotor, wherein the door shaft passes through the hollow drum shaft andis attached to the drum door.
 10. The washing machine of claim 9,wherein the clutch unit comprises: a clutch member that is rotationallycoupled to the hollow drum shaft and that is movably mounted between therotor and the hollow drum shaft, wherein the clutch member can movealong a longitudinal direction of the hollow drum shaft, and wherein theclutch member can be selectively rotationally coupled to the rotor; andan actuator for moving the clutch member in the longitudinal directionof the hollow drum shaft.
 11. The washing machine of claim 10, wherein afirst serration on the rotor can selectively engage a second serrationon the clutch member to rotationally couple the clutch member to therotor.
 12. The washing machine of claim 11, wherein the actuator canoperate to move the clutch member in a longitudinal direction such thatthe second serration on the clutch member disengages from the firstserration on the rotor.
 13. The washing machine of claim 12, whereinwhen the clutch member is moved to a position where the second serrationon the clutch member is disengaged from the first serration on therotor, the clutch member is rotationally fixed to a stationary part ofthe washing machine.
 14. The washing machine of claim 12, wherein whenthe clutch member is moved to a position where the second serration onthe clutch member is disengaged from the first serration on the rotor, athird serration on the clutch member engages with a fourth serration ona fixed portion of the washing machine to rotationally fix the clutchmember to the fixed portion of the washing machine.
 15. The washingmachine of claim 12, wherein the actuator can also operate to move theclutch member in a longitudinal direction such that the second serrationon the clutch member engages the first serration on the rotor.
 16. Thewashing machine of claim 12, further comprising a biasing member thatbiases the clutch member into a position at which the second serrationon the clutch member engages the first serration on the rotor.
 17. Amethod for controlling a washing machine having a cylindrical drum and adrum door that moves substantially parallel to the cylindrical surfaceof the drum to open and close an access hole on the cylindrical surfaceof the drum, comprising: rotationally coupling a rotor of a motor of thewashing machine to both the drum and the drum door so that the motorrotates the drum and the drum door together; disconnecting one of thedrum and the drum door from the rotor; and rotating the rotor and theother of the drum and the drum door to move the drum door with respectto the drum to open and close the access hole of the drum.
 18. Themethod of claim 17, further comprising rotationally fixing the one ofthe drum and the drum door that is disconnected from the rotor to afixed part of the washing machine before performing the rotating step.19. A method for controlling a washing machine having a cylindrical drumand a drum door that moves substantially parallel to the cylindricalsurface of the drum to open and close an access hole on the cylindricalsurface of the drum, wherein the washing machine also includes anenclosure with an access opening, the method comprising: rotating boththe drum and the drum door together with a motor until the access holeis aligned with the access opening; disconnecting the drum from themotor such that the drum door is still rotationally coupled to themotor; and moving the drum door with respect to the drum with the motorto open the access hole of the drum.
 20. The method of claim 19, furthercomprising rotationally fixing the drum to a fixed part of the washingmachine before performing the moving step.